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After Ruri carved a deep cavity into the dragon’s chest, Ryuka’s form became visible inside. Her eyes were a blood red, her fangs exposed, screaming with the fury of Vlad III.

“I hate all of you! My other half that ignored me and ruled alone! His descendants! His people! His land! All of it!”

One half was revered by his people, safeguarded his land, and established a strong governance. The other half languished in a noxious swamp, enduring endless suffering while trapped in immortality.

If it were anyone else, perhaps the jealousy and hatred wouldn’t have been so acute. But it was his own other half that enjoyed such reverence—they had once shared a soul and a mind, two sides of the same coin. And he could not fathom why only his counterpart had been so favored.

If Vlad III had simply perished or had never split, these feelings would never have emerged. But now, these emotions and questions swirled into a maelstrom of resentment.

“Everyone is worried sick about you, let’s go home,” Ruri said, her voice soothing, as though comforting a distraught child.

“Get out of my sight!” Ryuka’s voice was thick with exasperation as she raised her arm, summoning flames large enough to engulf a person.

“You don’t need to do this,” Ruri stated calmly, her blade slicing effortlessly through the fire.

“I’ll destroy the Land of Kanon! And you too if you stand in my way!” Ryuka’s rage escalated, spawning more fireballs and conjuring a flaming spear in her hand.

Then, with a high-pitched ring, Ruri sheathed her katana, and in almost the blink of an eye, all the fire was extinguished—clearly cut by her swift actions.

“You really don’t have to do any of this, Lady Ryuka.”
“You’re nothing but a servant! Who do you think I am? I’m—”
“Please, Lady Ryuka, I know it’s you, right?” Ruri’s voice remained even as Ryuka continued her tirade.
“…How long ago did you realize?” Ryuka paused, locking eyes with Ruri, and then her defiance seemed to falter.

“I could tell from your habits in the Onibi Mai as I approached. That was enough for me to know.”
“I never thought my magical quirks would give me away like that.”
“How many years do you think I’ve been training with you?” Ruri’s familiarity with Ryuka was evident, her tone a mix of pride and reproof.

“Yes, it’s me here, at least for now. I’m not fully in control yet. I might be conscious, but I can’t completely halt his attacks or the Shiki swarming on the ground. Erika is holding them off for now, but she’s in peril if we don’t act quickly.”

More Shiki were appearing, encircling Erika. Natalia and Tatsumasa were too far to assist, and Akane was occupied with preventing the dragon’s heads from regenerating. Erika, visibly fatigued, was fighting alone.

Ryuka was also on borrowed time, her consciousness maintained only by Urado Tsuebe’s intervention against Vlad III inside her. They had gained the upper hand momentarily while the dragon was destabilized, but that advantage was fleeting—such was the extent of Vlad III’s power. Ryuka and Tsuebe knew they had to finish this during this brief window.

Time was running out.

If Vlad III regained control, he would undoubtedly unleash all his Shiki and the dragon to annihilate the Land of Kanon.

Everything Ryuka had shouted was the voice of Vlad III within her.

“If I die, I can take Vlad III down with me. So Ruri, please hurry.” Saying this, Ryuka spread her arms wide and closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.

Ruri placed her left hand on her katana’s sheath and looked deep into Ryuka’s eyes. “I refuse!”

Ryuka’s eyes snapped open in shock, clearly not expecting that response.

“Flow endlessly and tie with power, Mizugarami.” As Ruri chanted, flowing and twisting water wrapped itself around Ryuka’s body like a rope, immobilizing her.

“Ruri, what are you doing?!” Ryuka was baffled. Having resolved to sacrifice her life, she couldn’t understand the need for restraint.

“Shisui is a false name Lady Kotohime gave me so I wouldn’t needlessly throw away my life.” Ruri ignored Ryuka’s question, her gaze fixed on her beloved katana, Shisui.

This Enchanted Blade, found within Mt. Seppou, had been a relic that the local village was once sworn to protect. Over generations, the villagers had forgotten their duty, and Ruri had discovered the blade by chance—or perhaps by fate.

The katana could kill the undead at the cost of the wielder’s life force. When Ryuka found and rescued Ruri, Kotohime had renamed the blade to protect Ruri, ensuring its powers remained sealed to prevent Ruri from inadvertently using up her own life force.

The power to slay the undead could only be activated by invoking the katana’s true name. It would make sense to use this power to end Ryuka’s suffering effectively, but…

“Ruri, stop! Just kill me! That’s an order!” Ryuka cried out, realizing what Ruri was contemplating.

Yet, Ruri remained undeterred, her hand resting on the hilt of her katana, poised to draw it.

“Return the unnatural to its right course¹. Shinimizu.”

Shinimizu, the true name of the Enchanted Blade. Upon its invocation, a thick black mist billowed from the sheath.

“Lady Ryuka, it’s time for me to repay the favor, thank you for saving my life. You’ve always held a special place in my heart.”
“No! Stop that! I never helped you expecting something in return—”
“Urado Mori-ryuu, Gyokuten.”

Ignoring Ryuka’s pleas, Ruri unsheathed Shinimizu.

This was not the first time Urado Tsuebe had possessed Ryuka’s body. The year she turned twelve, after a kagura performance, Tsuebe had appeared and explained to Tatsumasa about his other half and his inevitable return.

Initially skeptical, Tatsumasa became a believer after they encountered Vlad III in the cave.

Ryuka, despite being possessed, consented to whatever was necessary to protect the Land of Kanon and its inhabitants, even if it meant sacrificing her life. However, Ruri posed a complication.

Known for her questionable behavior and language, Ruri’s unwavering loyalty to Ryuka was well-known. If Ruri learned of Ryuka’s need to sacrifice herself, she would never stand for it. Therefore, Tatsumasa disclosed the situation only to his wife Kotohime, Ryuka’s older brother—the heir of the family—and Jinkuro, the head of the Urado Mori.

Initially, there was some friction, but eventually, everyone understood the gravity of the situation and prioritized accordingly. They decided to fulfill all of Ryuka’s wishes.

At one point, she expressed a desire to see the world, prompting them to send her as an exchange student to Seperion, where she spent two unforgettable years making lifelong friends.

Later, they invited these friends from Seperion to Reibana for a final reunion before her impending death.

With all her wishes granted, Ryuka had no regrets as the day of the Tsuebe Festival approached—except one. She knew her friends, especially Ruri who had been kept unaware, would mourn her death. They might feel upset, even angry and resentful.

(Maybe that way I’ll remain in her heart forever…)

Ryuka quickly dismissed these selfish thoughts.

(I asked my father to kill me instead because I didn’t want Ruri to suffer. I can’t afford such thoughts now.)

Typically, it would be the Urado Mori assigned to her, in this case, Ruri, who would perform the killing. But everyone knew Ruri would refuse.

And although it might be possible to destroy Vlad III through other means, only someone with peerless swordsmanship could eradicate the centuries of festering hatred and mana. Ruri’s Enchanted Blade might achieve this if unleashed, but at the potential cost of her life—a price Ryuka was unwilling to pay.

Thus, they resolved that Tatsumasa would end Ryuka’s life once she absorbed Vlad III. This decision meant spilling innocent blood and burdening Tatsumasa with the sin of patricide, but it was deemed necessary for their country’s safety.

Additionally, Tsuebe would take full control over Ryuka’s body post-kagura, sparing her the direct experience of death and reducing her suffering.

Tsuebe and Tatsumasa planned to trap Vlad III in the cave and have Tatsumasa execute him.

(Why did it end like this?!)

But then, Ruri, ignoring all protocols, charged in with Natalia as backup. Ryuka knew their intentions were for her well-being, but their intrusion delayed the execution long enough for Vlad III to awaken, manifesting as a three-headed dragon.

The surge of rage and hatred was overwhelming; despite their resistance, it only took a moment for the dragon to incapacitate Tatsumasa.

Their plan backfired catastrophically.

Then, Natalia, with the help of Akane and Erika, managed to restrain the dragon and eliminate his heads. This weakened Vlad III’s control, allowing Ryuka to regain some influence. However, Vlad III was not fully subdued, as the Shiki continued to spawn, forcing her to use her magic defensively.

She did not want Ruri near, but neither did she want to harm her with magic, so she manipulated the fireballs to miss intentionally. This allowed Ruri to approach Ryuka’s body, where she tried to mimic Vlad III’s voice to repel Ruri, but Ruri saw through the deception.

With no other options, Ryuka pleaded for death. Although killing Vlad III with Ruri’s Enchanted Blade was risky, it offered a chance for Ruri’s survival.

But then… Ruri unleashed the power of her Enchanted Blade by invoking its true name. The blade, now humming with the power to pull back creatures that had escaped the natural cycle of life, poised to deliver the final blow to the undead.

“Urado Mori-ryuu, Gyokuten.”
“Stooooooooooooop!”

Ryuka’s cry of desperation echoed through the air, but it was too late. The Enchanted Blade, Shinimizu, had already been unsheathed, hovering ominously, ready to sever the undead’s existence.

1. Robinxen: Punch it with imagine breaker!